Kohei Odaka: Black Cube

Kohei Odaka's entry into Designtope's "The Restroom of the 21st Century" contest took first prize. Titled "Black Cube", the rectangular room is made from charcoal, which dehumidifies, deodorizes and de-ionizes the air. The dark room has just one source of light: a luminescent toilet seat. via ::Reluct ::Designtope Comp The cube, says its Japanese designer, soothes the body, "and the reduction of visual information to the bare minimum sharpens the senses...This space functions as a place to cleanse not merely the body but also the soul. It is a kind of meditative space, rather like a tea ceremony room; a place to emancipate the very body and soul of modern man, and let us make a fresh start." Hmmm....we're not so sure about that last part Kohei, but we can think of a few public toilets we'd like to see de-ionized.